


The fifth son

by sextustarquinius



Category: One Direction (Band), Zayn Malik (Musician)
Genre: M/M, Parents!Au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-04 00:32:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12759423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sextustarquinius/pseuds/sextustarquinius
Summary: Liam experiences parenting and spends a day with a lost kid before meeting his handsome dad.





	The fifth son

Breaking up a relationship is always a shit.

So there he was, sitting in his bed, his phone in his hands, a catatonic look in his eyes, starring at nothing. After three years of a very good relationship, Liam’s boyfriend broke up with him ‘cause he was promoted at his job, so he’ll have to move to another country (South Africa). You know, it was a really hard decision for him to take, and Liam wasn’t angry at all.

But, come on, three years is definitely not easy to get over. Even the tears let him alone at this moment. So Liam rubbed his eyes with his hands, got up, grabbed his things (wallet, keys, coat) and left. He needed some distraction, so he ended up in a circus (and don’t even ask him how). Such a childish thing should comfort anyone’s heart. And it did: he could really enjoy himself with the clowns, fire breathers, jugglers, etc. When he left, at the end of the show, however, he wasn’t ready to go home already. He definitely should drink ‘till he aches.

So he went walking, among the secular buildings and the ice-blue gray sky. And now, all by himself, with the cold getting in his bones and the sound of cars passing by him, only now the tears started rolling down his face. But only a few bold of them. At the distance he saw a little silhouette wandering bewildered. It was a little boy. Liam approached and noticed he was clearly lost and confused, but not showing any fright.

— Oh, hello, little friend — Liam picked him up. — What’s your name?

— Quentin — the child answered, entertained with his Spiderman doll.

— Quentin? Are you from another country? — he shook his head.

— No.

— I’m Liam, nice to meet you — the boy didn’t answer him. — How old are you, Quentin?

The boy rose three fingers to Liam.

— Three years old? Oh, you’re such a grown up. Either way, you should not be all alone in the streets.

After a few seconds of silence, the kid said:

— I lost my dad.

— How’s your dad called?

— Zyan.

Liam looked around, but they were a little afar from the crowd, which was almost gone by now. Quentin leaned backward, resting his head in Liam’s shoulder, and yawned.

— You asleep, little pal? — the boy nodded. — Let’s do it like this: I’m going to take you to my place, and tomorrow I’ll take you home, ‘kay?

And so he did.

— Leeam, I’m hungry — Quentin said as they entered in Liam’s apartment.

— Yeah? — Liam sat Quentin in a chair in the kitchen. — Let’s see what we have.

Liam opened the fridge and his chin dropped: all he had was just water and some rotten food. He started seeking like crazy for something eatable and (how luck he is!) he found maize starch.

— Quentin, do you like porridge?

— Yes — he said, looking to his doll.

Why the fuck would he have maize starch he doesn’t even know. But there he was, like a father, heating his belly in the stove (what wasn’t so bad ‘cause December) cooking dinner to someone else’s child.

— Quentin, how’s your dad’s name again?

— Zyan.

— Alright.

So when Liam finished, he gave the porridge to Quentin, picked up his phone right away and started seeking for Zyan in all kinds of social webs. However, he found nothing. What the f-

— Leeam, I don’t want it any more.

— You’re full? Do you wanna get some sleep now?

— Yes.

Liam took the boy to his bedroom.

— Leeam, you’re not going to brush your teeth? Daddy say bugs will eat your teeth if you don’t brush them.

— Yeah, he’s right. But you brought your toothbrush? — Quentin shook his head. — Oh, I see. So let’s do it like this: we wash our mouths with water and, tomorrow, when you go home, you ask your dad to brush your teeth, okay?

The boy nodded, and Liam took him to the bathroom to wash his mouth.

— Quentin, let me take a pic of you. To show to your dad.

What on Earth could be cuter than Quentin smiling and posing to the camera Liam have never seen. Since his searches for Zyan weren’t successful, he decided to post everywhere that this child was lost. Liam couldn’t figure out how much his father must be worried and distressed, ‘cause there are a lot of people out there who could do a lot of harm to a child like him.

— So ready to bed? — Liam took the kid’s hand and led him back to the bedroom.

— Leeam — Quentin said as Liam laid him in the bed.

— What is it now?

— Dad always read me stories before bed.

— Oh, I get it. I don’t have any books, but I might search for some in the internet.

Liam spent a few minutes searching for the story about a girl who enters in a house, eat the bears’ porridge… Oh how is it called? Anyway, he found it after a few minutes and read it to the boy, who fell asleep only in the end. So Liam quickly posted everywhere about the missing child before falling asleep too.

The next morning, Liam woke up with Quentin climbing him.

— Oh, boy, what you doing?

The boy just laughed as Liam put him on the ground and got up to wash his face. He was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. Quentin came and stood on the bathroom’s door, staring at Liam with a tricky face.

— You’re such a naughty boy. Do you like cereal for breakfast? —Quentin nodded — Come on, then, let’s buy some.

The two of them went to the market, and Liam was lucky he only got a few pounds, because Quentin wanted almost everything he saw. And from where did all that energy come from? He made Liam ran around the market at least five times after him. It was tiring but fun. After breakfast, they sat to watch cartoons. Quentin really liked the super heroes ones (what is not surprising at all, ‘cause he did not loose sight from his Spiderman doll).

People were sharing and commenting his posts, but no signal from the boy’s family.

— Vush, vush, vush — Quentin, playing Spiderman, pretended to throw web at Liam.

— Oh, you caught me, help.

— You’re not going to destroy the city, you giant.

— You’re not match for me, Spider-Man. Oargh.

The two spent a few hours playing there, ‘til Liam’s muscles started aching a little ‘cause Quentin was jumping at him nonstop. How can a three years old kid be this strong? Ouch.

About 1 o’clock, they went out to have lunch. Usually, Liam would go to Burger King and clog up his arteries with junk food, but this kid deserves better. So he went to a Chinese restaurant and chose carefully a yakisoba: the balance between vegetables, noodles and meat. When they sat on the table and started to eat, Liam discovered why that kid was so strong: he really enjoys his meal, making no frown, unlike a lot of children, who hates to eat. But that’s not Quentin’s case, no, sir, he ate everything.

— Wow, you’re such a lion.

— Papa say I have to eat to grow strong.

— And I’m sure you will. Stronger than a real lion.

— Leeam, you date boys or girls?

— What do you mean?

— My dad said there’s boys who date girls, boys who date boys and boys who date both.

Liam arched his eyebrows in surprise.

— I date boys — it was very strange to talk about his sexuality so openly with a kid, but in a good way.

— My dad dates both, so I think he should date you.

Liam laughed before his phone ringed, a call from an unknown number. This may be Quentin’s dad.

— Hello?

— Hello — a sweet female voice spoke —, Mr. Payne, I’m Safaa, Quentin’s aunt.

— Oh, yes. He’s with me and he’s fine.

— Oh, what a relief. My brother’s…

— Oh, we’re on a restaurant now, I’ll send you my location — when Safaa saw their location, she smiled relieved.

— That’s like ten minutes from my brother’s house. I talk to him for...

— No, please — he interrupted her. — I mean, send me his address and I’ll take Quentin there.

Still reluctant, she did as asked: Liam kept his promise and took the boy home. Zayn was standing at the building entrance, arms crossed, eyes on the ground. He and Quentin looked very alike: hair dark as the night sky, eyes like dead stars, lips like the trail of two comets. Liam got breathless when he saw Zayn standing there, all concerned about his son.

Zayn’s eyes caught them and ran right away up to them.

— Papa!

— Quentin! Oh, my God! You scared me to death — Zayn picked him up and hugged him. Liam couldn’t help smiling at this scene.

— I’m Zayn, pleasured to meet you.

— Liam. I thought Quentin said it was Zyan — Zayn laughed.

— He still can’t say my name right. Look, I really don’t know how to thank you enough, would you like to stay for dinner?

— Oh, I really don’t want to… — Liam said nervously, waving one hand.

— Please — Zayn held Liam’s hand with a plain smile — I insist.

Liam’s brain bugged.

— Please, Leeam!

— Okay, okay.

Quentin started chattering about his day with Liam all the way up to their apartment, on the third floor.

— Please, make yourself home.

Quentin ran straight up to his toys at the corner of the living room, and Zayn told Liam to take a sit at the couch, offering coffee or tea.

— A tea would be nice — a few minutes after, Zayn brought the tea and angel cake. — Thank you.

Quentin ran up to them, stood by Zayn armchair and said:

— Dad, you know Liam dates boys?

— Oh, Quentin, that’s very impolite of you to ask these things. Apologize.

— There’s no need. He’s such a clever boy, he gets it better than a lot of people in their adulthood.

— Here, honey, pick a piece of cake and let papa talk with Liam for a while.

Zayn handed him a little plate with cake, so Quentin went back to his toys.

— Yeah, a few weeks ago I tried to get a date, but it didn’t work out as I planned. Anyway, he saw that guy kissing me before leaving, so I had to explain to him that I’m bissexual.

— That’s very nice of you, he’s going to be an open minded person. It is very hard to grow up being a no-straight person.

— It sure is. Was he much trouble? — Zayn asked changing the subject.

Liam blinked twice. His muscles were still aching. He replied:

— No, not at all.

— Since he’s my only child, he’s not very good with getting along  with other kids.

— Oh, no worries, I have no children — Liam ate the cake. Oh my goddess, it’s so good.

— You live alone?

— Yeah.

— So you lied to me — they both laughed.

— And his mother? — Liam took a sip of tea, staring at Zayn.

— His mother died during his birth — Zayn moved his eyes to the kid as they got flooded by tears.

— Oh, I’m really sorry, I didn’t…

— No, don’t be. It’s ok. You finished? — Zayn asked taking the crockery. — I’ll be back in a minute.

Zayn turned his back to Liam barely holding his tears. Only a few words traded and Zayn was more open to this strange than he ever was to anyone else. After washing the dishes, Zayn left the kitchen rubbing his eyes, trying to put himself together, but Liam arrived there at the same time, and they bumped into each other.

This kind of touch is so unexpected and sudden — Liam grabbed Zayn’s arms to avoid a fall —, let the two of them in shock, a gap between his lips, eyes wide open, throats closed by fright. Zayn have never ever felt so much adrenaline in his body, he never went this far.

— I… hm, sorry.

— It’s okay, I’m okay.

Like a flower opening to the moonlight, spreading its scent to the warm air, Zayn’s perfume hit Liam, making him feel... different. He took away his hands from the boy — it just felt right — and stepped back, rubbing his hands nervously. Zayn’s gaze rested in his face like petals flying in the wind, their souls met like rain falling on earth. Their conjunction turned them into Terra and Uranus: Zayn as Terra, laid relaxed, the waves hitting his sides, life sprouting from him and, when he opens his eyes, he sees Liam, as Uranus, hovering above him, fresh, clear, bright.

But Quentin’s voice put their feet back on the ground, they woke up from their ride and looked down at the kid, who was standing between them.

— Oh, what is it, Quentin?

— Dad, are you two dating now?

They both laughed, but they did noticed how much Quentin wanted Liam as his dad too.


End file.
